Cornelia Van Ness Cress was the daughter of a U.S. Cavalry General. She grew up and learned everything about horses in that disciplined world. 

Miss Cress created Cressmont, a riding school on the Mills College campus in Oakland, California, and she brought all that with her to the school, including balanced riding. As she put it, “We follow the pattern of our Military School of Equitation, accepting the military balanced seat, which allows maximum control by rider with minimum strain to horse and rider. Briefly, this is a deep, firm seat, allowing the more erect position for pleasure riding and dressage and the forward seat for fast riding over cross country jumps and uneven terrain.” 

As she put it, “A horse is the only partner who never lets you down.”

Every day at Cressmount Miss Cress dressed in riding clothes, complete with immaculate boots and riding jacket. She required all students to arrive dressed to ride – jodhpurs or breeches, high boots, jodhpur boots or oxford shoes with low heels, white shirt and hunt cap. (This was before the invention of the helmet.) Good manners were always in order. The schedule was strict. We had to show up at least a few minutes before our lesson began or we didn’t ride. The group lessons were fun, often accompanied with lively music by John Philip Souza. Instruction was to the group as a whole with tips to individual riders as needed… There was always good fun at Cressmount, reflecting Miss Cress’s love of the horses and her keen sense of humor… For more about Cressmount, Read More.

For a full account of her life, Read More.